With a little maintenance, you can keep your porches looking great for years to come and prevent the need for another costly repair later down the road. To get started on your maintenance, below are some maintenance tips for your PVC porch ceiling.
Keep Leaves, Fungus, and Bugs Out of Your Ceiling
Keeping your umbrella stanchions clean and free of leaves and other debris will help prevent mold, fungus, and mildew from growing. To keep the canopy tied up and out of the way, remove any ties or cords whenever possible. You can also seal your porch ceiling for additional protection against exterior elements.
Create a Stable Drain Field
While you can’t control water levels in your drainage field, you can control what will lower your water table: dirt, leaves, or debris. To help keep your drains out of sight and out of mind, add a small amount of sand or other leveling material to the bottom of the drainage channel below your stanchions. This will create a layer between your gravel drainage systems and anything lying on the sub-par ground. Your PVC ceiling won’t have any problems with moisture accumulation.
Remove and Clean Your Cover
It is essential to keep your cover clean and free of any debris. Leaves, sticks, seeds, and other small particles can all eventually clog up your stanchions and cause a backup or overflow situation inside your porch canopy. Be sure to regularly remove the ceiling cover for cleaning and inspect for any damage that may have happened in high winds during the stormy season.
Keep Your Stanchions Dry
Moisture accumulation, blocked drains and other water absorption issues are common causes of mold, fungus, and mildew in many porch ceiling assemblies. If your stanchions require immediate cleaning, you can use a small brush or sponge to remove dirt and debris. If any damage is suspected, you should call a professional for inspection and repairs.
Inspect and Stabilize Your Joints
Repairing a damaged PVC porch ceiling is much easier than repairing a damaged steel one. You can fill in small surface cracks with PVC glue, and you should replace strong joints to help prevent further damage to the assembly or the need for another maintenance task down the road.
Regularly Clean Any Undergravel Systems
If you have undergravel systems installed on your ceiling, you should regularly check your drains and clean them as needed. If the surface gets grimy from many years of dirt and debris, then it is recommended that you call in a professional to remove the grime for maintenance and replacement.
PVC porch ceilings are a great way to provide shade, shelter, and protection from the elements. However, like any other outdoor structure, they require regular maintenance, and maintenance done efficiently can save you money on repairs. Therefore, have in mind these maintenance tips for your PVC porch ceiling to keep it in good shape. Enjoy added benefits with Aeratis PVC porch ceiling.
